Transmission-gearing and axle.



R. M. ROBERTS. TRANSMISSION GEARINGAND AXLE.

APFLIGATION FILED Nov,11, 1911.

LQSQ, Patented May12,1914.

, 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Mwm A R. M. ROBERTS. TRANSMISSION GEARING AND AXLB. APIPLIGATION FILED11011.11, 1911. 1,096,196. Patented May12,1914.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

A TTORNSY.

ROBERT M. ROBERTS, 0F ANDERSON, INDIANA, ASSIGNOB, :BY MESNEASSIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-HALF TO GEORGE A. BRAKEMAN, OIE' ANDERSON, INDIANA.

TRANSMISSION-GEARING .AND AXLE.

To au whom t may concern Be it known that I, ROBERT M. ROBERTS,V

axles with the engines of automobiles, the

invention having reference more particularly t0 a unitary axle andgearing housing and to also improved transmission gearing mounted in thehousing in connection wit 1 the axle portion of t-he structure.

rlhe object of the invention is to provide a substantial and reliabledriving axle and transmission gearing embracing speed changing gearingand also differential gearing in compact arrangement, and so arranged asto be thoroughly protected from dust and be re'adily accessible 'forreadjustment or repairs; a further objectl of the invention being toprovide improved construction and arrangement in transmission gearingfor automobiles that Will permit of the use of a substantially straightpropeller shaft fonconnecting the engine with the speed changing drivinggearing when the engine is mounted 'with its shaft horizontally on ahigher plane than that of the axles of the vehicle.

A still further object is to provide improved transmission gearing andaxles or shafts for various purposes that may be constructed in asubstantial and inexpensive manner and be durable and economical in use.

With the above mentioned and minor objects in view, the inventionconsists in an improved combined axle and gearing housing, in improvedtransmission gearing mounted in the housing, and in the novel parts andnovel combinations and arrangements of parts as hereinafter particularlydescribed and pointed out in the accompanying claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a. top plan of an automobileframe and running gear and an explosion engine mounted on the forwardportion of the frame as is customary7 the invention being illustratedSpecification of Letters Patent.

`Application led November 11, 1911.

Patented May 12, 1914.

Serial No. 659,848.

in connectiontherewith; Fig. 2, a sectional elevation approximately onthe plane of the line A A in Fig. .1; Fig. 3, a fragmentary verticalsection on the plane of the line B B in Fig. 2; Fig. 4, a fragmentarysectional elevation on the plane of the line C C in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, asectional elevation on the planes of the line I) D in Fig. 3; Fig. 6, asectional elevation on the plane of the line E E in Fig. 3; Fig. 7, afragmentary section on the plane of the line F F in Fig. 3; Fig. 8, afragmentary sectional clevat-ion on the planes of the line Gr G' in Fig.7; Fig. 9, an inverted plan ofthe top portion ofthe gearing housing;Fig. 10, a

fragmentary sectional elevation on the plane of the line H H in Fig. 7;and Fig. 11, a top plan of the lower or oil-box portion of the housing.

Similar reference characters throughout the drawings indicatecorresponding elements or features of construction herein referred toand described. i In the drawingsa common type of automobile frame isillustrated comprising side bars 1 and 9./ and a tail bar 3, anexplosion engine 4 beingmounted on the forward portion of the side bars,the engine havingma rearwardly extending driving shaft 5 provided with aclutch member a movable clutch member 7 being adapted to be connectedwith the clutch member G and is suitably mounted on a short stub shaft 8suitably supported under a cross bar 9 of the frame. The forward portionof the frame is supported as usual upon a suitable front axle 10provided with wheels 11 and 12. The rear portion of the frame isprovided with suitable supporting springs 13 and 14.

The improved axle comprises a main portion or casing part 15 providedwith' spring blocks 16 for directly supporting the springs, and havingalso brake supports 17 and 18 thereon,the main portionl having anintegral main housing part 19v thereon in which is arranged a cent-ralsha-ft bearing 20, one end portion of themain part 15 having a shaftbearing 21 therein, the opposite end portion of the main` part 15 beyondthe housing part being adapted to constitute a shaft. bearing and it hasa hollow shaft 22 rotatably mounted therein, a `suitable wheel hub 23being integrally or otherwise i axle shaft 25 is somewhat longer thanthe main axle part 15 and is rotatable in the hollow shaft 22 and vextends rotatably through the hub 23, the shaft supporting the bearings20 and 21 and its opposite end portion is secured .ixedly to a companiondriving wheel 26. The main axle part extends over the upper portion ofthe shaft 25 at opposite ends of the housing part, and

i0 an under portion or casing part 27 having an integral oil-box 28incases the under side of the shaft. and is secured to the main portionand the housing, the said under portion being'provided with a journalbearing 15 cap 29 which is secured to the bearing 20 and supportedthereby, the under part 27 having also a cap 30 that is secured to andsupported by the bearing 21, the portion of the part 27 beyond theoil-box constituting a cap embracing the under portionl of the hollowshaft 22.l The under part. 27 is provided with ears 31 to which radiusrods 32, 32, are connected, the rods extending upward obliquely and aresuitably connected'to the frame of the vehicle. A torsion bar 33 isflxedly secured to the housing part 19 by means of bolts 34 and itextends forward nearly to the clutch member 7 and is connected by meansof a pivot 35 to a bracket 36 which is supported by the cross bar 9 ofthe frame, the bar .33 being nearly parallel with the plan@ of the frameand maintains the housing firmly above the axle,

being assisted by the radius rods. The inner end of the hollow shaft 22has a beveled gear wheel 37 thereon at the inner side of the adjacentportion of the housing part and oil-box. A similar but oppositely facingbeveled gear wheel 38 has a long hub 39 40 which is secured by a key40,01' otherwise to the axle shaft 25 adjacent to the wheel 37, the hub39 rotatably supporting a spur toothed master or main gear-wheel 41which carries a suitable number of rotatable beveled pinions 42, 42',that are in mesh with both the wheels 37 and38 to constitutedifferential or equalizing gearing. Along hub or sleeve 43 is rotatablymounted on the shaft 25 and extends from the wheel 38 to the shaftbearing 20 and it has a spur toothed driven wheel 44 on the end thereofthat is adjacent to the bearing, the hub 43 having a relatively smallerdriving gear ywheel 45 and also a still smaller driving gear wheel 46thereon for edecting changes of speed and direction of motion. Twobrackets 47 and 47 are supported on the inner side of the housing part19 and sup port a shaft 48 on which is a rotatable reversing gear wheel49 that is constantly ir mesh with`the wheel 46.,for effecting backmotion.

The housing part 19 is provided with shaft bearings 50 and 51 atopposite end mi' portions thereof respectively, and a housing Losantoscap part 52 is secured removably to the main housing part 19 and hasjournal box caps 53 and 54 secured to the bearings 50 and 51respectively, the upper portion of the cap part supporting a journal boxcap 55 to which a shaft bearing 56 is removably secured. A transmissionshaftA 57 is j ournaled on the bearing 50 and preferably has a socketedend portion 58 that is journaled on the bearing 56 and has apower-actuated gear wheel 59 thereon that is constantly in mesh with thewheel 44, the shaft 57 having a beveled gear wheel G0 secured theretoadjacent. the socket-ed end portion, there being a suitableanti-frictional collar 61 inserted between the back of the gear wheeland the bearing 56 and its cap 55. A suitable journal box 62 is securedto the for-` ward sides of the main part 19 and the cap part 52 and isythereby supported in approximately horizontal position or nearly inalinement with the stub shaft 8, and it rotatably support-s a stub shaft63 having a beveled gear wheel 64 secured to its inner end within thehousing and in mesh with the wheel 60, there being a suitableantifrictional collar 65 inserted between the back of the wheel 64 andthe inner end of the journal box 62. A universal coupling 66 isconnected to the outer or forward end of the stub shaft 63 and has oneend of a propel-ler shaft 67 connected thereto, thev opposite end of theshaft 67 having a universal coupling 68 connected'thereto that isconnected also tothe stub shaft 8. The shaft 67is approximately inalii'iement with the engine shaft 5 and is of considerable length, t-heuniversal couplings being employed merely for preventing lateral strainson the propeller shaft that might result by reason of the springsbetweenthe axle and the vehicle frame, the couplings, however, being relievedof the severe strains and wear incidental to the use of oblique angledshafts.`

Another transmission shaft 69 referably has a squared middle port-ionand it has a cylindrical end Vportion 70 that is journaled vinthesocketed end portion 58, and it has also a cylindricalend portion 71journaled on the shaft bearing 51 that is provided with the cap-54. A'pinion 72 is secured to the shaft 69 or its .endportion 61 and isconstantly in mesh with the wheel 41. .The

wheel 59 has projecting clutch teeth 73 that, extend toward the pinion72. Two gear wheels 74 and I75 are slidingly mounted on the shaft 69 butso that they must rotate therewith, the Wheel 74 having clutch teeth 76on one side thereof that may be moved into engagement with the teeth 73, the wheels 74 and 75 preferably being cast integrally on a common hub77 so that both Wheels are conveniently moved simultaneously as aunitary gearing element along the shaft, and

a suitable yoke 78 spans the hub between the two wheels for shiftingthem, a shifter 79 being suitably connected with the yoke and having ahub 80 which is secured to a rock shaft 81 mounted in a shaft bearing 82with whichthe cap part 52 is provided. The shaft 81 extends verticallythrough its bearing and has an arm 83 secured to its upper end, aconnect-ing rod 84 being pivotally connected to the arm. The rod 84 isof considerable length and extends forward above the plane of the frameIand is connected to an operating lever 85 which is mounted in aconvenientposition on the frame so as to be'near the position of theoperator of the automobile.

In practical use the clutchl member 7, as will be understood, isoperated by the'usual or any suitable means and the lever 85 is movedforward or rearward as required for shifting the wheels 74 and 75 inorder to change the. speed, reverse the motion or stop the motion of thedriving axle. It will readily be understood that when the shaft G7rotates, the wheel 59 is in motion and causes the hub 43 to rotate, andin order to operate the vehicle at slow speed the wheel T4 is clutchedto the wheel 59, thus rotating the pinion 72 which transmits the motionto the master wheel 41. Vhen the wheel 74 is moved into connection withthe wheel 45 the speed obviously is increased. lVhen the wheel 74 isdisconnected from the wheel 45, and the wheel 75 moved into connectionwith the wheel 49 it will be clear that the shaft G9 is rotated inreverse direction so as to reverse the motion of the automobile.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1.Gearing including an axle rotatably supported, a main gear wheelsupported to rotate about the axis of the axle, a transmission shaftrotatably supported,.a pinion fixed on the shaft in mesh with the -maingear wheel, a rotatably supported reversing gear wheel, a hub rotatablymounted on the axle and having a driven and `two driving gear wheelsfixed thereon, one of the driving gear wheels being in mesh with t-hereversing gear wheel, a power-actuated ear wheel rotatable on thetransmission sha tin mesh with the driven gear wheel of the hub, and atransmission gearing element for rotating the transmisionsha-ft slidablethereon into connection with either the reversing gear wheel or theremaining one of the driving gear wheels of the hub to be driventhereby.

2. A transmission gearing and axle including an axle shaft, a hollowshaft rotatable on the axle shaft, a main casing part journaled on theaxle shaft and also on the hollow shaft and having a main housing parton the uppermost side thereof, an under casing part secured to the maincasing part and having an oil box thereon that is secured to the mainhousing part, differential gearing mounted jointly on the axle shaft andthe hollow shaft, speed-changin gearing rotatably mounted on the axlesha t, a transmission shaft mounted on the top of the main housing partand operatively connected with the speed-changing gearing, means mountedon the transmission shaft for operatively connecting the speed-changinggearing with the differential gearing, and a cover partdetachablysecured to the top of the main housing part.

3. Transmission gearing including an axle shaft, a hollow shaftrotatable on the axle shaft and having a gear wheel fixed thereon, amaster-wheel rotatable about the axis of the axle shaft, a pinionrotatably mounted on the master-wheel and meshing with the gear wheel, agear wheel fixedly secured to the axle shaft and meshing with thepinion, a casing member journaled on the axle shaft and also on thehollow shaft and having a housing on the upper portion thereof, atransmission shaft rotatable in'the housing above t-he axle shaft andoperatively connected with the master-wheel, a bevel gear wheel fixedlysecured to the transmission shaft, a. stub shaft rotatably mounted onthe housing and extending therefrom at right angles to the plane of theaxle shaft and transmission shaft, and a bevel gear Wheel tixedlvsecured to the stub shaft and meshing withthe first-described bevel gearwheel.

4. The combination of an axle shaft, a hollow shaft rotatable on theaxle shaft, a main casing part journaled on the axle shaft and also onthe hollow shaft and supported thereby and having a main housing partthereon supported thereby and provided with shaftlbearings, an undercasing part detach? ably secured to the main casing vpart andl having anoil box secured to the main hous-f ing part, said under part having ajournal box cap thereon, a shaft bearing supported on the axle shaft inthe main housing part and secured to said cap, a cover part detachablysecured to the main housing .paru-'and' having journal box caps thereonsecured to the shaft-bearings of said main housngpart, and atransmission shaft rotatably mounted on the shaft. bearings of said lmamhousing part, with speed-changing gearing and differential gearinginclosed in said housing l.hollow shaft rotatable on the axle shaft, a

main casing part 'journaled on the axle shaft and also on the hollowshaft and hav-inv a main housing part thereon rovided withshaft-bearings, and differential gearing in the main vhousing parthaving equalizing connection with the hollow shaft and the axleshaft, ofa cover part removably sev tably mounted on said bracket and meshingcured to the main housing part and having journal box caps secured tothe shaft-bearings, said cover part having a depending journal box onthe inner side thereof, a transmission slfft; journaled on one of saidshaft-bearings andv having a soeketed end portion journaled in saiddepending journal box, said endportion having a Vgear wheel and alsoclutch teeth thereon, a second transmission shaft rotatable in saidsocket-ed end portion and also on the remaining one of saidshaft-bearings, a pinion secured to said second transmission shaft inconnection with said diderential gearing, a hub rotatable on said axleshaft and having a plurality of gear wheels thereon of which one is inmesh with the wheel on said socketed end portion,

land a gear wheel rotatable with and also slidable on said secondtransmission shaft into or out of mesh with the remaining one of thegear wheels on said hub, said slidable wheel having Clutch teeth thereonmovable into or out of contact with said rst-described clutch teeth.

G. The combination, with an axle shaft, and a-hollow shaft rotatable onthe axle shaft, of a main easing part journaled on-the axle shaft andhaving a main housing part thereon provided on its top withshaft-bearings, the housing part having a bracket on the inner sidethereof, differential gearing having fequalizing connection with theaxle shaft and the hollow shaft, a hub rotatable on the axle shaft andhaving a plurality of gear wheels thereon, a back gear wheel rotaivithone of said plurality of gear wheels, a cover part secured to said mainhousing part and having a rock-shaft mounted therein, a gear' wheelrotatably supported in mesh with one of the said plurality of gearwheels, a transmission shaft rotatably mounted on said shaft-bearings, apinion fixed on said 1 transmission shaft in connection with saiddifferential gearing, two shifting gear wheels ,having a hub common toboth and rotatable with and slidable on said transmission shaft tomoveone of the wheels into or out of con-'- tact with the remaining one ofsaid plurality of gear wheels or to move the other vof the two Wheelsinto or out of contact with said back gear wheel, and a shifter fixedlymounted on said rock-shaft and carrying a yoke between said two shiftinggear wheels 'for shifting them.

`7. The combination with an axle shaft, a hollow shaft rotatable on theaxle shaft, a housing journaled on the axlejshaft and the hollow shaft,and differential gearing in the housing having equalivzing' connectionwith the hollow shaft and the axle shaft, of a transmission shaftrotatably mounted in the housing and having a pinion fixed thereon andin connection with the differential gearing, a hub rotatable on the axleshaft and having a plurality of gear wheels fixed thereon, a reversinggear wheel rotatably supported in the housing in mesh with one of theplurality of gear Wheels, a power-actuated gear Vwheelrotatable on thetransmission shaft in mesh with another one of the plurality of gearwheels and having a clutch device thereon, a gearing element rotatablewith and also slidable on the transmission shaft into or out of meshwith either the reversing gear wheel or the remaining one of theplurality of gear wheels and having a 8. The combination with an axleshaft, a

housing journaled on the axle shaft, a lmain gear wheel rotatablymounted in the housing and adapted for rotating about the axle shaft,and means for connecting the Wheel with the shaft, of a transmissionshaft rotatably mounted in the housing, a pinion fixed on thetransmission shaft in mesh with the main gear wheel, a hub rotatablymounted on the axle shaft and having a plurality of gear ywheels fixedthereon, a power-actuated gear wheel rotatably mountedin the housing inmesh with one of the plurality of gear wheels and having a clutch devicethereon, and a gear wheel rotatable with and also slidable on thetransmission shaft into or out rality of gear wheels and having a clutchmember thereon movable into or out of con.- tact with the clutch device.

9. ln gearing, the combination of a rotatably supported main-shaft, ahub rotatably mounted on the shaft and having a plurality of gear wheelsthereon, a reversing gear wheelirotatably supported in mesh with one ofthe plurality of'gear wheels, and a poweractuated gear wheel rotatablysupported in mesh with another one of the plurality of gear wheels andhaving a clutch device thereon, with a rotatably supported transmissionshaft, a rotatable main gear wheel adapted for rotating the main shaft,gearing for connecting the main gear wheel with-the I main shaft, apinionlixed on -thetransmission shaft in mesh Withthe main gear wheel,and a gear wheel rotatable' 'with and also yslidable on the transmissionshaft into or out of mesh with the remaining one of the plu' rality ofgear wheels and having a clutch member thereon movable intoor out ofcontact `with said clutch device.

in presence of two witnesses.

iionnn'r M. nonnrs.

ln testimonv whereof, I-aftx my signature Witnesses WM. RowLAND, ALMABAssn'r'i.

